Unwanted Attractions

Note: I do not own any of the characters unless I make someone up. But other than that all the characters belong to Jane Austen, so, no suing.

Yeah, I know, I'm a week late. Guess what, someone did hunt me down and chopped off my head which is currently on a stake beside my computer (the fan found out that I actually liked horrible Sci-fi and I just wanted to less severely punished). So, my little sister is currently doing all the typing while I narrate it all for her.

Whenever something goes wrong, people normally will begin to think that some higher being doesn't like him or her. Darcy didn't think; he knew that some higher being was against him and out to make his life a living hell as much as possible.

Here he was in the now furnished living room with the Bingleys and the Bennet sisters, writing a letter to his sister at the computer desk in the far corner with Caroline at his side to 'assist' him in his every need. Meanwhile, Charles was playing a game of Kings in the Corner with Jane while Elizabeth was reading a random book that was lying about.

"My, your sister will be really happy to get a letter from you. Has she grown at all?" Caroline inquired, leaning over Darcy's shoulder casually.

"Yes."

"Oh your pen, it's out of ink. I'll get you a new one," she offered as Darcy merely reached into his pocket and pulled out a new pen.

"I've got my own."

"My, you write fast," she continued to wax.

Darcy tried not to roll his eyes after putting a period at the end of his first paragraph. "Actually I write slowly."

From the direction of the couch Darcy heard someone snort a bit, most likely Jane's sister. At least he knew that his annoyance was a bit obvious even if Caroline Bingley was ignoring it or was blind to it.

Finishing another round of cards where Jane had claimed victory, for the fifth time in a row, Charles extended the invitation to Elizabeth.

"No thank you, I would much rather read a book," smiled Elizabeth.

"I'm sure that Ms. Eliza," Elizabeth winced slightly, "is a great reader of many things and doesn't like to do anything else," Caroline interjected.

"Actually, I'm not that great of a reader. I usually put reading books off to the side until I get a free day and then for comics I wait until I have the entire series, or most of it, before I start reading. If it's a graphic novel I usually just read it the instant I get it," explained Lizzie, flipping the page then looking at the cover to see the book title. "And I do have other hobbies, you just wouldn't know about them yet." With a shrug she returned to her reading.

"If you don't like that book I can get you another one," Charles offered, shuffling the cards for a game of Rummy. "There's not that many since most of my books are still at my apartment in San Francisco. Most of them I believe are books you published and sent me, Darcy."

"Have you even read any of them?" Darcy returned and immediately Caroline stated that she had while her brother had only read four of them.

Charles defended himself calmly, "I have been busy in Africa, Caroline, and I haven't really been in San Francisco much to even say I live there much less have time to read all those books."

"Africa?" Jane repeated in a form of a question. Elizabeth glanced up at her sister from the top of the book; Jane had a huge desire to one day travel to third world countries and become a volunteer for a hospital or something of the such.

"I spent the last six months in Africa helping at the orphanages and AIDS facilities while still running the family oil business from my temporary home," confirmed Charles, passing out the cards.

"Wow that's quite the accomplishment, for a man of your age," Jane smiled, picking up her cards and refusing to look up as a pink tint began to spread.

Charles grinned, making the first move in the card game, "You're being too generous Jane, but there have been many others who have done a lot more than I can do. Many of them women." Perking up, he added as an afterthought, "It's amazing how accomplished all women are."

"All!" cried Caroline, but it sounded more like a squeak. "My dear Charles, not all women are accomplished." She made the statement generally but her eyes indicated that she meant Elizabeth wasn't considered accomplished, according to Caroline Bingley's definition of 'accomplished'.

Continuing to read, Lizzie made a point of not responding or indicating that she was affected in any way by Caroline's insinuation. Flipping the page again, Elizabeth purposefully turned it with her middle finger as a subtle sign that she was well aware of what was meant by the statement.

"Oh come on Caroline, how can you not consider women to be generally accomplished? So many are college educated, can maintain jobs and families, raise children on their own, and aid against starvation, AIDS, and civil rights in other countries," listed Charles, not paying attention to the game and found that Jane had made a straight.

Having been listening more than writing the entire time, Darcy voiced his opinion on the subject in hopes of the topic being abandoned immediately.

"The list is well and all Charles, but it does not include all women or all the traits of an accomplished woman," he declared, causing Lizzie to lift an eyebrow slightly as she pretended to read. "With your list there are indeed many women that would be included but there are only really about half a dozen woman that can actually live up to the title of being accomplished."

"Totally, I can only name about six," Caroline agreed, making Lizzie stifle a laugh again and cover her mouth to hide her amusement.

"Then please enlighten us as to what other traits, as you said that Charles hadn't included all the traits of an accomplish woman, that the accomplished woman should have," insisted Lizzie, closing the book and setting it aside.

Caroline answered for Darcy, "She must speak several languages, be a master in several areas of study, be talented somehow in the arts, have exquisite taste, have charisma, and an eloquence in everything she says and does."

Darcy didn't agree with everything in the statement, but he decided not to say anything against it. Instead he just added, "Along with the improvement of her mind through reading books."

Slowly, Lizzie glanced down at the book next to her then shrugged. "Wow, I guess that leaves out Mother Theresa, which is kind of sad considering that many people around the world have considered her one of the most accomplished women of all time."

Caroline opened her mouth to somehow protest and correct her earlier statement, but Elizabeth continued. "Oh well, I suppose that no one can hold all these traits of the accomplished woman."

"That is untrue, I know many woman who fit the description of an accomplished woman," Caroline retorted indignantly. "And one of them happens to be Ms. Georgiana Darcy."

Elizabeth schooled her features as much as she possibly could; letting little of her amusement show on her countenance. How can she say she can only name six accomplished women and yet say that she knows many accomplished women?

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask," Charles spoke up, "what exactly happens at a barn raising party?"

Suddenly, Lizzie recalled her telephone conversation with Charlotte before the storm had cut them off.

"You still have another week to find out what's it's about," Lizzie assured, receiving some blank and bewildered expressions. "Charlotte called me before the power went out to tell me that the party was off due to the storm and the rain that's supposed to last tomorrow. Also, before I forget, on the way here I saw a streak of lightening hit a tree and a huge, wide branch is in the middle of the road. So, we'll have to move it tomorrow."

"Hopefully, the rest of the tree won't join the branch," Charles commented.

Lizzie snorted, picking up the book again to read, "Watch, now when we go to clear the road tomorrow the tree itself will be in the road."

Finished with his letter, Darcy picked up the book he had recently began that had been lying underneath his letter and spun his wheelchair around so that he could face the rest of the group. He began to read while keeping his ears open.

"Is there enough light for you?" Caroline questioned.

Darcy answered in the affirmative curtly, he just wanted to read his book, not entertain Caroline Bingley.

Realizing that she wasn't going to get Darcy's attention by simply being by him and interrupting his reading, Caroline glanced about the room for anything or anyone who she could use to get his attention.

"Eliza, aren't your legs stiff from all that sitting?" Caroline inquired in a falsely sweet tone.

"Well…n…" Elizabeth began to answer but Caroline had interjected and was by her side in an instant.

"Why don't you walk with me for a few minutes then," she offered, pulling Lizzie to her feet and dragging her, more than walking with her, around the room.

Straightening herself, Elizabeth walked alongside Charles' sister while having no idea why she was the targeted person instead of Jane. That was until Caroline extended the invitation to Darcy to join them.

"Actually I would rather remain where I am. After all, there are very few reasons I could of as to why you two would actually walk around the room together: your legs were actually stiff, you have personal issues to discuss, or you like to show off your figures," explained Darcy with a playful grin teasing at the corners of his mouth.

"Those are reasons for us to possibly be walking about but what are your reasons for not joining us?" Caroline challenged.

"Simply that you either have issues that I do not want to hear. If your legs are in fact stiff, you will simply sit down again shortly. And if you are walking about to show off your figures, I can admire you best from here," shrugged Darcy, watching for the slight upturn of Elizabeth's mouth and the hint of a blush.

Caroline laughed scandalously while Lizzie shook her head and tried to let it show that she was thinking of the underlining perversion of the last statement.

"You naughty boy," laughed Caroline, playfully slapping Darcy's arm, "now we need to punish you for being that implication. What shall his punishment be Eliza?"

A smirk spread slowly upon Elizabeth's face, making Darcy uneasy. What was she planning?

"He must be teased or laughed at," Darcy cringed, "but as you know him better than I, you probably have a better punishment than I could ever think of," Lizzie stated offhandedly as though it was nothing.

"Actually I don't know what kind of punishment to inflict on him," replied Caroline. "But I won't laugh unless we actually have something to laugh at or about."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and commented, "Of course, Darcy's not meant to be laughed at." She looked Darcy in the eyed. "An advantage on his part, one that I hope I won't have to suffer with for too long as I like to laugh."

Not liking to be seen as a joke in any way, Darcy decided to throw Lizzie's words right back at her. "The greatest of people are only laughed at by someone who sees everything as a joke."

Lizzie laughed a bit, "I think you've misread me, Darcy, I don't laugh at anyone and everyone, or what they do. I laugh at nonsense, randomness, inconsistencies, clichés, and those who like to try and pick fights when they are not up to the challenge." She said it all with a good-naturally tone that wasn't meant to implicate any insult, but Darcy interpreted the latter of the list as Lizzie saying she didn't think him up to her game of wit.

Her grin grew even wider as she cocked her head to the side and added, "Such as vanity and pride."

"Vanity might be a weakness but pride, when it's kept in check, will always be a strength," Darcy defended.

Thoroughly enjoying herself, Elizabeth turned to Caroline, who had been standing between her and Darcy the entire time, and grinned, "You're right Caroline; Darcy has no weakness to exploit as punishment. He is practically perfect in every way."

"I am certain," nodded Caroline, moving away to join Jane and Charles.

Lizzie was about to return to her book when Darcy stopped her. "Nobody is perfect, Bennet," he figured that if she was going to call him by his last name he may as well give her the same courtesy. "Even those who may seem to be perfect are not. Other than my defect in walking, my only other true weakness at present is my inability to forgive others after they have lost my trust."

Her eyes widened a bit, and Darcy knew that he had caught the girl off guard. However, she recovered fast.

"Such a weakness indeed, however as I can't laugh at it, you are safe from me," she assured him, again about to return to her book.

Darcy stopped her again. "Everyone has some natural defect."

"Yours is that you cast judgment before even knowing those who you cast judgment on," Elizabeth retorted, much to Darcy's surprise. He had thought she would have mentioned the fact that he was in a wheelchair, so obviously disabled.

"And yours is to willingly misinterpret those same people," he shot back, stunning her into silence.

Having sensed the growing tension for a long time, Charles decided that moment was the best time to announce that it was well after midnight and that everyone should go to bed.

"We have an extra bedroom but only one bed in there…" he informed the Bennet sisters.

"Don't worry about it," Lizzie reassured, "I was going to volunteer to sleep on the couch anyways."

Charles shook his head. "No, I'll give you my bed and I'll sleep on the couch."

Jane smiled, "Trust me Charles, Lizzie would much rather take the couch. She normally sleeps best on couches or in recliners; that's all she sleeps on at home except for the few nights when she sleeps on the futon."

Even with the reassurance Charles was reluctant to let Lizzie sleep on the couch. "Very well, I'll get you some blankets then. And if you need anything, there's a bathroom down the hall and Darcy's room the last door on the right."

For a moment, Elizabeth had a perplexed expression on her face. Why would he need to sleep down here? she wondered, until she turned around and was reminded that Darcy was in a wheelchair. Oh, that's right, he's in a wheelchair. Wow, completely forgot about that.

Thank you to: TriGemini, nebulia, anti-botox, Severus-Fan, a2umad, arliddian, maritza chan, maritza chan, and Aerinha's Foundry.

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